An Electrified Encounter
by av981638
Summary: What happens when Stephanie is on her fire escape during a thunderstorm? This is a one shot answer to a challege..
1. Chapter 1

All characters belong to JE, I am just borrowing them. This is an answer to a challenge given by Chrisitbabe, I hope you enjoy!

As I pulled myself out of the darkness, all I could feel is pain, yet I had no idea why I hurt so much. I opened my eyes, blinking at the brightness of the room. Where the hell am I? I looked around the room and could tell I am in the hospital. I finally became aware of a weight at my side, my one hand in a death grip. I carefully turned my head toward the weight and saw a very handsome man sitting in the chair, his head resting against one hand on the bed, while the other held my hand. I studied him, but had no idea who he was or why he was here. Just then the door opened and a nurse came in, she checked the machines at my head. When she was getting ready to walk out she noticed I was awake.

"Oh! You're awake, I'll go get the doctor." At her words the man next to me shot up, instantly looking around before his gaze fell on me. He had the start of a beard on his handsome face, and dark circles under his eyes, although he instantly smiled once we locked eyes.

"Thank god your awake, babe. You have been out for two weeks."

Two weeks?! Before I could ask him what happened to me the door opened and in walked my doctor.

"Miss Plum, I am so glad to see you're awake, you are a very lucky woman. The shock you took could have killed you, as it was you have burns on your hand, feet, and legs. You also had sustained a head wound when you got the shock, which you may have a residual headache from for a while. We will be taking you down later today to do and MRI to check the head wound. I know Mr. Manoso is eager to take you home, but it will be at least another few days before I will release you, do you have any questions?"

"Mr. Manoso?" At my question the doctor and the man sitting next to me exchanged a look.

"Stephanie, do you know who the man sitting next to you is?" I looked at the man sitting next to me than shook my head no.

"Okay we are going to need to run more tests, Stephanie, let me assure you that you're not in any danger here okay? I need to find out how much memory you lost. Can you tell me the last thing you remember is?"

"I remember talking to Connie about getting some help with my job as a bounty hunter." At my words the doctor looked nervous.

"Okay Ms. Plum it appears you have lost about two years."

"Two years?!" before I get too agitated, the man next to me starts rubbing my arm trying to soothe me.

"It will be okay babe; I can tell you anything you need to know, within reason."

"You can start by telling me who you are."

"I am Ranger, Connie called me to help you with learning the ropes of Bounty Hunting, I also helped you with some skips too." I thought about it for a minute.

"I remember I was going after that ass Joe Morelli, did I catch him?" I was shocked when Ranger chuckled.

"You caught him alright, and took down a man known for abusing women at the same time. I had told you to call me when you were ready for the take down and I would help, instead you went on your own, by the time it was over, you had three dead bodies, a felon boxer, and Joe Morelli all in the back of a meat truck. You were also injured, but you impressed me then, and continued to every time you brought a hard skip in."

Before I could respond to what he said, the door opened and a huge man walked in. I started to get scared until he stepped over to talk to Ranger. They spoke in low voices for a few minutes before the big man turned to me.

"How are you feeling Steph?"

"I would feel better if I knew who you are." He gave me a small smile.

"Don't force it little girl, it will come back to you. I just came to kick bossman here out to go get some food and a shower."

"I am not leaving her." I pulled his hand so he looked at me.

"I'll be okay, go eat and clean up, please."

"Okay. But I will make it quick." He then strode toward the door and left. I felt my eyelids get heavy so I decided to let the darkness take me once again.

When I woke up again, my head didn't hurt as much as it had before, but my sleep had been filled with dreams. None of them made any sense.

When I looked around the room I saw Ranger standing by the window looking out.

"Hey." At the sound of my voice he quickly turned around and come back to my side.

"How do you feel Babe?"

"Better than I did before I fell asleep, but now I'm confused."

"Confused about what?"

"I had dreams, I don't know if its memories or just dreams."

"Chances are its memories trying to come through, don't fight it Steph, let them happen. You could be on the first step to get your memory back."

"Can you tell me what happened to me?"

"Well you were sitting on your fire escape, when lightening hit the top of it, the charge travelled down to you, we don't know why you were on the fire escape though. That is a question only you can answer."

"I guess."

"Just rest, Babe. That is the most important thing right now."

"Okay, but where will I go when I get released?"

"I am taking you home with me, that way Bobby can keep an eye on your progress. Bobby is our company medic."

"But what if I never remember?"

"You will, it will just take time."

The days passed slowly, I felt as if the walls were closing in on me, but I couldn't do anything about it. I was hurt to notice my family didn't come to see me, although I had a feeling once I got my memory back I would know why, but it still hurt.

One constant was Ranger, he never left, but a lot of his men came to see me. I couldn't remember them, but they all made sure I knew their names. Of all the men Lester was the one that made me laugh the most, I guess that is something he always has done.

When I was finally released from the hospital, I could tell Ranger was thrilled. I, however, was scared. I was going home with a man I didn't know, staying at his place, which I didn't remember. The doctor said I should be somewhere familiar, Ranger said I have spent a lot of time at his apartment so it was very familiar. I just had to take his word for it.

When we arrived at Ranger's apartment, I felt calm wash over me. I thought it was weird. I walked over to the window and just stared out. I felt Ranger come up behind me. He rubbed his hands up and down my arms.

"Doing okay, Babe?"

"I'm fine. I just wish I could remember what happened to me. I don't understand why I would have been on the fire escape in a thunderstorm."

"I know, Babe. Do you want to go lay down before dinner?"

"Yes, I am a little tired." Ranger took me to the bedroom, helped me lay down and covered me up. Within minutes I was asleep.

_It was 96 degrees outside, but I was sitting on the fire escape because it was cooler than my apartment, but I had melted into a vegetative state, and couldn't crawl back into my apartment. A short time later I heard thunder. Before I am able to move lightening hits the fire escape and I slump to my side before everything goes black._

I wake up with a gasp. I looked around Ranger's bedroom, trying to calm my racing heart. I remember what happened to me. I must have been louder than I thought because Ranger rushed in.

"Babe, are you okay?"

"I'm fine Batman." A full 200 watt smile appears at my words. He sits next to me and takes me in his arms.

"You remember?"

"I do, I was sitting on my fire escape because my apartment was hotter, I wasn't able to get inside fast enough when the storm hit."

"Babe, all that matters is you're okay, and you got your memory back. Although it would have been fun to make new memories for you."

"Who said we can't make new memories?" before I could respond I was flat on my back with a smiling Ranger above me.


	2. Part 2

_Here is part two to my challenge response_

The week passed slowly, even though I remembered what happened to me, I still had a lot of gaps in my memory. Today is my follow up with my doctor. I am hoping he tells me that I will get my full memory back but I don't want to be too hopeful. Ranger has been amazing helping me jog my memories.

Unfortunately the gaps in my memory isn't my only affect from the shock, my left leg was badly burned, so I have scars there and there is some muscle damage, so I have a slight limp that I don't think I will ever get rid of. I also now suffer from severe headaches. I never know when one will hit.

The doctor offered to send me to a plastic surgeon for the scars but that isn't something I can afford. Ranger offered to take care of it, but I don't want to be in the hospital again anytime soon.

We made the trip to see my doctor. As I waited to be called back, I thought about the absence of my family while I was in the hospital, I really shouldn't be surprised. I kicked Joe to the curb so my mother wanted to start inviting new men over every night. I don't think so. So I don't go over there, I talk to my grandma every week so I at least and keeping in touch with her.

I am finally called back to see the doctor. I am shown to the exam room, where the nurse takes my vitals and leaves the room. Minutes later the doctor comes in.

"How are you doing Stephanie?"

"I'm doing alright, I started getting my memory back, but there is a lot I still don't remember."

"That's good you have recovered some of your memory, now it's possible that you won't remember everything. And you may experience short term memory loss, so it will be an adjustment for you. Given the shock you took, I would say your one lucky woman to have survived it. Any questions?"

"How long should these headaches last?"

"Unfortunately, that is something we cannot determine. I know this it's difficult for you Stephanie, but you're going to need to make a lot of adjustments to your life. This may be something that never diminishes with time. I can prescribe a medicine to help when you do get the headaches but that is as much as I can do." I sigh as he writes out the prescription for me.

As we leave the doctors' office I am silent. I can feel Ranger watching me; I know he is worried about me.

"Babe, do you want to talk about it?" I sigh.

"What am I going to do? I can't work with these headaches. I won't be able to support myself."

"Okay one thing at a time babe, first, you can work, you have a job if you want it at RangeMan. Second you are not alone, you know that. I know this isn't the time but I am not leaving you. I meant what I said when I told you I wouldn't mind making new memories with you. As for supporting yourself, that is taken care of with the job. But you will never have to support yourself as long as I am here. Just tell me you want Someday as much as I do?"

"You know I do Ranger.." before I could get another word out Ranger caught my lips in a searing kiss. When he pulled back he touched his forehead against mine, and he was grinning like an idiot.

"Good Babe, cause we are in this forever. I won't ever let you go."

"Right back you, Manoso."

Even though I will continue to have problems from the shock, I know that I will have my life partner by my side.


End file.
